MP3 players could replace stethoscopes

What do you think about it. Would it be a good idear to use some more modern things? or should we stay with the good old things??

The stethoscope, associated with doctors for hundreds of years, could soon be consigned to history.

Researchers claim that the traditional equipment is not as good at recording patient’s chests as a modern MP3 player.

Neil Skjodt, from the University of Alberta, Canada, said that the music players can help doctors to record respiratory sounds using their in-built microphones.

He told the European Respiratory Society’s annual congress in Stockholm: "The quality, clarity and purity of the loud sounds were better than I have ever heard with a stethoscope."

Another advantage is that the recordings can be stored and sent to a specialist for more detailed analysis.

Respiratory physiologist Frans de Jongh, from the University of Amsterdam, said the idea of using MP3 players to listen to chest noises had merit, but assessing a patient’s condition accurately depended on the interpretation of the sounds by doctors.

Re: MP3 players could replace stethoscopes

..........a stethoscope isnt going to be affected by things that would jack with an MP3 player. but i think that they could use something a little better than an MP3 player anyway... or at least a specialized one.....

Re: MP3 players could replace stethoscopes

Basically, the title is a throw off to the main concept. They'd make a specialized Sound recorder that also had a headphone stream. Thing is, they'd only be useful if the initial check is hard to hear like a weak heart...though that's kinda easy enough to reconize. If they could always hear the heart, then those that have practiced with the olden day stethoscope may overlook something.